Channel 5's new crime drama Ellis arrived on our screens on Thursday night and viewers have taken to social media to give their verdict.
Starring Sharon D Clarke, the three-part series follows talented detective, DCI Ellis, as she takes on failing investigations in various towns around the Peak District.
The opening episode received an overwhelmingly positive response from viewers, who heaped praise on the gripping drama. One person penned: "So far, impressed with #Ellis. Watched detective series for over 30 years and this one is very well done. It keeps you thinking. Lovely setting. And the lead actress has an extensive career behind her, including West End shows. Singer too. Gritty and not slow moving."
A second viewer applauded Sharon's performance in the show, writing: "I'm looking forward to the next episode. I'm hooked already. And I can't praise Sharon D Clarke's performance enough. She's brilliant #Ellis."
Others shared their eager anticipation for the second episode, with one person writing: "Now that was flippin good!!! Looking forward to the next episode!!" while another hailed the drama as "brilliant".
Another viewer penned: "I enjoyed #Ellis, really engrossing, Sharon D. Clarke great to watch. Looking forward to the next episode."
For those yet to tune into the series, it follows DCI Ellis, a "tenacious and instinctive" detective who is tasked with solving failing or difficult investigations, accompanied by her sidekick DS Harper, played by Andrew Gower (The Winter King, Carnival Row, Outlander).
Each two-hour instalment sees the pair arrive at a different police station, where DCI Ellis must win over the local cops and immerse herself in the cases.
The synopsis continues: "As a Black female detective, Ellis is used to being dismissed and overlooked, but she is a first-class murder detective with a commitment to bringing the guilty to justice, and a deep well of compassion for those who need it."
The first episode saw DCI Ellis and DS Harper called to investigate the death of 18-year-old Rowan Edwards, the son of an ex-MP. With his girlfriend, Maggie, nowhere to be seen, Ellis must work fast to get results. "Ellis starts to dig under the surface of the town and soon sees that in Hanmore, parents know nothing about the lives of their children," teases the episode synopsis.
Leading lady Sharon, a three-time Olivier Award winner known for her roles in Holby City, Showtrial and Mr Loverman, said it was the drama;s premise that initially attracted her to the role, with "an older Black female to be a leading DCI" leading the show.
"That's what interested me before I saw any scripts, because as someone who grew up in the 70s, I never saw that on television – I never saw myself represented in that way. And I wanted to be a part of that," said the actress. "And then I talked to Sian (Ejiwunmi-Le Berre), the writer, and we talked about what her background would be and where she would come from, and the kinds of things that she’d have to go through. And then I read the script and was completely and utterly overjoyed."
The first episode of Ellis is available to watch on My5.